Discovering the almond blossom route in Ibiza

One of the little known beautiful winter sights in Europe, is the Ibizan Almond Blossom Route. Here is why you should head there in February…

A beautiful destination all year round, Ibiza is one of those places you can easily fall in love with. During the summer months, the high temperatures draw the sun-seekers, clubbers and holidaymakers and during the winter, Ibiza is much more tranquil. If you visit in February at the time of the full moon, you can experience a magical moonlit walk on the Almond Blossom Route.

It is almost unbelievably beautiful and somehow even more so because you know it will be a whole year before you can do it again! Okay, the full(ish) moon is out for several nights, but for the real magic it has to be on the night it is officially full – this year it will be on (romantically enough) February 14th, St Valentine’s Day. For romantic couples who love the outdoors, such a sight could be nigh-on perfect.

The blossom lasts five weeks

If you can’t make it for the moonlit walk, don’t worry because the blossom is out for five weeks or so as a rule. The Santa Ines Almond orchards seem to be covered by a silvery blanket by night and a pink and white foam by day and the smell of all those flowers has to be experienced to be believed. If you really don’t want to miss out on the event there are so many ways to reach Ibiza, with sites like Thomson and First Choice both offering ways to get out to the island with no problem. The walk sets off from San Antonio at around eight in the evening and ends up in Santa Ines at around eleven. The local PTA provide some fabulous food and drink when you get to the end of the walk and if you have never drunk caleta (small espressos with a lot of alcohol) under the warm stars of an Ibizan early spring night, you really haven’t lived.

A yearly pilgrimage

Many people from Ibiza who live abroad make February the time they visit the folks back home, just so they can enjoy the Almond Blossom Route walk. Although many places in the world have orchards, none is quite like this and it is something that will live in your memory forever. Leave your cameras, phones, iPads and the rest in your car or bag or better still in your hotel or villa.

There are some things in this life that are best experienced and remembered in the quiet of your own head and although pictures are lovely to take home to show your friends, there isn’t a camera on earth that can do justice to walking this lovely route in company of many happy people. Simply relax and enjoy seeing the magic of blossom under the moon, smell the sweet smell of the flowers and enjoy a snack and a drink before driving home to dream of petals and sweet almonds.

Make the most of the island

Of course, aside from the beautiful almond blossoms there are plenty of other things to do on the island too, even out of season. Whether it’s the famous nightlife, the authentic Spanish cuisine, the boat trips, fishing or a round of golf, Ibiza has something for everyone.